Big League Stew

Like the rest of us, Brendan Ryan may not end up remembering the details of the two baseball games the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's just played in Tokyo. The teams split the opening series set with Ryan going a combined 1 for 7.

On a personal level, though, it's a trip that the Seattle shortstop will always remember. That's because he capitalized on the work trip and proposed to his girlfriend Sharyn from the top of one of the world's greatest cities. It was a spot the league actually picked out for Ryan after he asked for site recommendations.

Ryan, 30, proposed to his long-time girlfriend on Tuesday on the Sky Deck on the 54th floor of Mori Tower, one of Tokyo's tallest buildings, surprising her with a ring he'd brought from the United States as part of a master plan he managed to keep secret for months.

"I had this planned for quite a while," said Ryan. "Once I heard we were going to Japan, I figured it was a pretty cool opportunity. Then MLB heard about it and stepped in and rolled out the red carpet for us and it was just awesome."

The best part of the story (well, other than her saying "yes")? Ryan joked that he made pitcher Felix Hernandez carry the ring through airport security and on to Japan because he figured the $78 million ace could afford to replace the ring if he lost it. Guess he's not familiar with the concept of an insurance rider?